I said it before and I'll say it again, I hate feet. Now that it's cold people forget about their feet so that when the summer rolls around I'm grossed out by your nasty, crusty feet. Keep your feet presentable now so that when the warm weather hits, you'll be ready.

Winter Months Pedicure

1. It should go without saying that you need to start with clean feet. So go take a shower, but before you do, take off any old polish. While you're in the shower use a pumice stone to remove the dead skin from your feet. Most people are too rough with this at home, so be gentle.

2. Cut your nails and file them straight across. Round off the edges very slightly so they don't snag your stockings.

3. Apply cuticle softner and massage into your cuticles.

4. Use an orange stick (or your thumb nail) to push back your cuticles. Once again be gentle. Let feet rest for about 5 minutes. (Now would be a good time for your spouse to massage your feet with some peppermint oil)

5. Use a nail brush to clean feet and nails. Dry feet thouroughly.

6. Massage lotion on feet. You can stop here. If you want to polish your nails, use a cotton ball dipped in remover to clean lotion off nail.

7. Apply a basecoat. Let dry. Apply color. Let dry. Apply top coat. Let dry.

**Since your feet will most likely be covered, you can forgo the colored polish and just apply clear polish, especially if you always smudge your polish.

**If you have especially dry feet do this right before bed and stop at #5. Instead of lotion, use a generous amount of vaseline, then put on a pair of cotton socks. I will wrap my feet in a towel and relax for an hour and so, then use the towel to wipe off the excess vaseline. When you wake up, you will notice a dramatic difference in your feet.

Despite temperatures of 30 degrees below normal, it's that time of year. I call it the "Dreaded Foot Season". People wear flip-flops, sandles, or no shoes at all.
I hate it because I hate feet. I know there are others like me. So for us poor souls that can't stand the sight of your soles, please at least make them presentable.

You don't have to have a professional pedicure once a week (but if you can afford it, please do!), but start by smoothing things out. Crusty heels makes me want to puke.
It's simple and though I'm sure you can find recipes involving essential oils and foot massagers, it's not necessary.
Tonight before you go to bed, wash your feet thoroughly, completely cover them in vaseline (be generous, you can get the stuff at the dollar store), put on a pair of cotton socks. Keep the socks on overnight and when you wake up your feet will be well on their way to being presentable to the world.* Depending on how bad your dogs were to begin with, you may have to do this for several nights before you see a huge difference, but I promise you will see a difference. Do this about twice a week to stay "sandle ready" all summer long.

*This really works the best and quickest if you sleep in the socks, but if you can't stand to sleep in socks, do this in the early evening and remove the socks before getting into bed.